Wave-generating watercraft with a wave-forming block

ABSTRACT

A wave-generating watercraft includes a craft body having an installation space. A telescopic drive is mounted within the installation space. A pivot seat is mounted on the craft body within the installation space. A wave-forming block is driven by the telescopic drive to move between extended and retracted positions, and has an outside block face and an inside block face. When the wave-forming block moves to the retracted position, the inside block face is pulled by the telescopic drive, and the outside block face moves to the installation space. When the wave-forming block moves to the extended position, the inside block face rotates away from the telescopic drive, and the outside block face protrudes from the installation space.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a watercraft, and more particularly to a wave-generating watercraft.

BACKGROUND

As shown in FIG. 1, an existing wave-generating watercraft 1 includes a craft body 10 and two wave-generating units 11 mounted to a stern of the craft body 10. Each wave-generating unit 11 includes a telescopic rod 111 connected to the craft body 10, and a fin plate 112 connected to an end of the telescopic rod 111. When the craft body 10 travels through water, the telescopic rod 111 actuates the fin plate 112 to generate waves for water sporting.

Although the wave-generating units 11 are disposed outside the craft body 10 to save an interior space of the craft body 10 for accommodating accessories, the wave-generating units 11, which protrude outward from the craft body 10, can adversely affect the aesthetic quality of the craft body 10. Further, because the wave-generating units 11 extend down into the body of water, they are prone to collision with underwater rocks, barriers or the like.

Referring to FIG. 2, another existing wave-generating watercraft 2 includes a craft body 20 having two installation spaces 200 (only one shown) respectively formed in two sides of the craft body 20, and two wave-generating units 21 respectively mounted in the installation spaces 200. Each wave-generating unit 21 includes a telescopic rod 211 extendable transversely to a front-rear direction of the craft body 20, and a wave-forming wing plate 212 pivoted to the craft body 20 and connected to the telescopic rod 211. The wing plate 212 is driven by the telescopic rod 211 to move between a retracted position to be received in the installation space 200, and an extended position to protrude outwardly from the installation space 200 relative to the craft body 20. When the craft body 20 travels through water, the wing plate 212 can be pushed outward by the telescopic rod 211 to generate waves.

While the wave-generating watercraft 2 can solve aesthetic and collision problems due to the retractable wing plate 212, because the wing plate 212 has to directly counteract the reaction forces of water, the structural strength of the wing plate 212 in the form of plate is insufficient. Therefore, there is a need to improve the structural strength of a wave-forming unit of a wave-generating watercraft for long term use.

SUMMARY

Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a wave-generating watercraft that has good wave-generating effects, as well as high structural strength.

According to the disclosure, a wave-generating watercraft includes a craft body, and at least one wave-generating unit.

The craft body has front and rear ends, two opposite sides each extending between the front and rear ends, and at least one installation space formed in at least one of the opposite sides.

The at least one wave-generating unit is mounted within the at least one installation space, and includes a telescopic drive, a pivot seat, and a wave-forming block.

The telescopic drive is mounted to the craft body within the at least one installation space.

The pivot seat is mounted on the craft body within the at least one installation space.

The wave-forming block is pivotally connected to the pivot seat and the telescopic drive, and is driven by the telescopic drive to move between an extended position and a retracted position. The wave-forming block has an outside block face that extends rearward from the pivot seat and that faces outwards in a direction away from the at least one installation space, and an inside block face that extends from the pivot seat in a direction oblique to the outside block face and that is pivotally connected to the telescopic drive.

When the wave-forming block moves to the retracted position, the inside block face is pulled inward by the telescopic drive, and the outside block face moves to and spans the at least one installation space.

When the wave-forming block moves to the extended position, the inside block face rotates in a direction away from the telescopic drive, and the outside block face protrudes outwardly from the at least one installation space and is oblique to the front-rear direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exiting wave-generating watercraft;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top sectional view illustrating another existing wave-generating watercraft;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a wave-generating watercraft according to a first embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top sectional view illustrating a wave-forming block of a wave-generating watercraft of the first embodiment at a retracted position;

FIG. 5 is view similar to FIG. 4, but illustrating the wave-forming block at an extended position;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top sectional view illustrating a wave-generating watercraft according to a second embodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top sectional view illustrating a wave-generating watercraft according to a third embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a wave-generating watercraft according to a first embodiment of the disclosure. The wave-generating watercraft of the disclosure includes a craft body 3 and two wave-generating units 4 (only one shown). The craft body 3 has front and rear ends, two opposite sides 303 (only one shown) each extending between the front and rear ends, and two installation space 300 (only one shown) respectively formed in the opposite sides 303. The wave-generating units 4 are respectively mounted within the installation spaces 300. While the wave-generating units 4 are respectively mounted within the installation spaces 300 in this embodiment, the wave-generating watercraft of the disclosure may have multiple wave-generating units 4 arranged on one of the two opposite sides 303 of the craft body 3. Hereinafter, only one wave-generating unit 4 in one installation space 300 is exemplified.

Referring to FIG. 5 in combination with FIGS. 3 and 4, each wave-generating unit 4 includes a telescopic drive 41, a pivot seat 421, and a wave-forming block 42. The telescopic drive 41 is mounted to the craft body 3 within the installation space 300. The pivot seat 421 is mounted on the craft body 3 within the installation space 300. The wave-forming block 42 is pivotally connected to the pivot seat 421 and the telescopic drive 41, and is driven by the telescopic drive 41 to move between an extended position and a retracted position. The wave-forming block 42 has an outside block face 422 and an inside block face 423. The outside block face 422 extends rearward from the pivot seat 421 and faces outwards in a direction away from the installation space 300. The inside block face 423 extends from the pivot seat 421 in a direction oblique to the outside block face 422 and is pivotally connected to the telescopic drive 41. An included angle (α) formed between the inside block face 423 and the outside operating block face 422 ranges between 27 and 75 degrees. In this embodiment, the included angle (α) is 45 degrees.

To create waves during travel of the wave-generating watercraft, the telescopic drive 41 is actuated and stretched. As the telescopic drive 41 is connected to the inside block face 423, a torque is applied to the wave-forming block 42 to rotate it about the pivot seat 421. Therefore, the wave-forming block 42 is moved to the extended position, the inside block face 423 rotates in a direction away from the telescopic drive 41, and the outside block face 422 protrudes outwardly from the installation space 300 and is oblique to a front-rear direction of the craft body 3. The outside block face 422 thus can interact with water forces to generate waves. When the telescopic drive 41 retracts, the wave-forming block 42 moves to the retracted position, the inside block face 423 is pulled inward by the telescopic drive 41, and the outside block face 422 moves to the installation space 300 and spans the installation space 300. In this situation, the outside block face 422 lies in a plane substantially parallel to the front-rear direction of the craft body 3, and the wave-forming block 42 is received within the installation space 300.

The wave-forming block 42 is robust and able to reduce the risk of being damaged due to excessive water forces, as compared to the wave-forming plate in the prior art (FIG. 2) having the same wave-generating effects. The service life of the wave-forming block 42 can thus be prolonged. Further, because the wave-forming block 42 is received in the installation space 300 at the retracted position, and because the outside block surface 422 is substantially flush with the side of the craft body 3, not only is the craft body 3 aesthetic, but damages due to collision are also avoided.

FIG. 6 illustrates a wave-generating watercraft according to a second embodiment of the disclosure. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the outward block face 422 is a curved surface having radii of curvature lying on a horizontal plane (i.e., the X-Y plane that contains X- and Y-axes in FIG. 6). Because the outward block face 422 is a curved surface, compared with an entirely flat surface, it can disperse water forces acting thereon in addition to generating waves so that stress concentration may be avoided.

FIG. 7 illustrates a wave-generating watercraft according to a third embodiment of the disclosure. The third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the outward block face 422 is a curved surface having radii of curvature lying on a vertical plane. In FIG. 7, the vertical plane is the Z-X plane when the wave-forming block 42 is at the retracted position, where the X-axis is parallel to the traveling direction of the craft body 3. When the wave-forming block 42 protrudes outward, the vertical plane is a plane that is oblique to both of the Z-X and Z-Y planes.

To sum up, the wave-forming block 42 is robust and has an optimized capability of bearing against water forces, thereby prolonging the service life.

In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects, and that one or more features or specific details from one embodiment may be practiced together with one or more features or specific details from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the disclosure.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with what are considered the exemplary embodiments, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A wave-generating watercraft, comprising: a craft body having front and rear ends, two opposite sides each extending between said front and rear ends, and at least one installation space formed in at least one of said opposite sides; and at least one wave-generating unit mounted within said at least one installation space, and including a telescopic drive mounted to said craft body within said at least one installation space, and a pivot seat mounted on said craft body within said at least one installation space, and a wave-forming block pivotally connected to said pivot seat and said telescopic drive, and driven by said telescopic drive to move between an extended position and a retracted position, said wave-forming block having an outside block face that extends rearward from said pivot seat and that faces outwards in a direction away from said at least one installation space, and an inside block face that extends from said pivot seat in a direction oblique to said outside operating block face and that is pivotally connected to said telescopic drive, wherein, when said wave-forming block moves to the retracted position, said inside block face is pulled inward by said telescopic drive, and said outside block face moves to said at least one installation space and spans said at least one installation space, and wherein, when said wave-forming block moves to the extended position, said inside block face rotates in a direction away from said telescopic drive, and said outside block face protrudes outwardly from said at least one installation space and is oblique to the front-rear direction.
 2. The wave-generating watercraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said at least one installation space includes two installation spaces respectively formed in said opposite sides of said craft body; and said at least one wave-generating unit includes two wave-generating units respectively mounted within said installation spaces.
 3. The wave-generating watercraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein an included angle formed between said inside block face and said outside block face ranges between 27 and 75 degrees.
 4. The wave-generating watercraft as claimed in claim 3, wherein said included angle is 45 degrees.
 5. The wave-generating watercraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outward block face is a curved surface having radii of curvature lying on a horizontal plane.
 6. The wave-generating watercraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outward block face is a curved surface having radii of curvature lying on a vertical plane. 